K’taka scraps conference on Deendayal at KSOU campus

Mysuru/Bengaluru: Karnataka govt has scrapped a three-day international conference at Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mysuru, saying the objective of the private event is against the goals of the university and violates protocols laid down by the govt.The conference, titled ‘Ekatma Manav Darshan: Bharat's Worldview', organised by Prajna Pravah, Karnataka, and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, was scheduled at the KSOU convocation building in Muktagangotri Wednesday. It was meant to mark 60 years of lectures by Deendayal Upadhyaya, the leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of BJP.Clarifying the govt's position, state higher education minister M C Sudhakar said: "Our public universities are meant to be apolitical. No political activities should be conducted in our universities."The higher education department also rejected the reply given by KSOU vice-chancellor Sharanappa V Halse to a show-cause notice issued to him a day earlier. Sudhakar claimed Halse's response was "not satisfactory" and warned action would follow. "The VC is hand-in-glove with the organisers. We will initiate action against him," he told TOI.The department further said organising such a private event on campus could indirectly influence the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities at the university.Calling it a breach of protocol, the minister further said: "This is a state university, and they have not even bothered to inform us. If at all it was related to improving higher education, the govt should have been a part of it. We cannot misuse university campuses for certain ideological events."Some Congress functionaries also criticised the event. KPCC spokesperson M Lakshmana alleged links between the university management and RSS.Denying the university had any organisational role, KSOU registrar S K Naveen Kumar clarified: "Like other events, the organisers had paid the rent for the premises."